Art has value -- Raising awareness about the cost of creating

comic below by Dan Dougherty, Beardo Comics http://www.beardocomics.com/#!beardo/cxff

Artists exhibit at conventions for lots of reasons. It's a chance to see peers and colleagues. Some are there as guests of the event or on panels. All levels of artists enjoy seeing long-time fans and making new ones. Attendees enjoy discovering artists they didn't know... and seeing new art at the booth or table of artists they follow.

Too often.. I'm hearing stories about fans who approach an artist and profess their love and admiration for the work... only to follow-up with a strong disconnect between what they enjoy and what they are willing to do to help keep the art coming.

These fans are ardent followers of the artist's work on social media sites that thrive on image sharing.. like Facebook or Instagram. Of course artists enjoy the appreciation .. but where is the support?

Convention attendees may not all be collectors of original art, but when they balk at paying even modest prices for prints.... that's a clear sign of the disconnect. They claim to value art, but they bristle at the idea of paying money to the artists.

Why should they pay for art.. when they can get all they want on-line for free? Art. Is. Not. Free. ... including on-line art. (image below by Michele Leivan)

Art always comes at a cost... and the artists have been carrying those costs for the rest of us.

Every image that pops up on a Facebook feed or a "Google Image" search.. had an origin. Chances are it was the work of an artist... but it's rare for that creator to get credit.. much less compensation.

The "rules" of the internet favor companies... not individuals. Most artists are independent contractors and entrepreneurs ... but also woefully undertrained in those roles.  Previous post on need for indie artists to calculate their day rate:
http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2017/01/freedom-from-free-art-calculate-your.html

It's up to fans to start correcting the assumption that on-line art is free.... and artists to stop selling themselves short...

There are platforms like Patreon to help get this message across. https://www.patreon.com/

Artists need to promote themselves in ways that allow fans to contribute to their enjoyment of the artist's work.

Education is the key. Artists should use conventions, websites and social media to reinforce the impact of small donations. These have the potential to really add up as support for online art. Artists can't make expenses exhibiting at a con only by selling "smalls" with entry-level price points like $1 buttons and $5 prints... BUT ...  if hundreds and thousands of fans are happy to "like" an artists page... what if they were also willing to put some investment in their interest? Modest donation/pledges of under $10 or $20 would be a mighty fine way to demonstrate the value fans hold for the art.. and their community effort to keep it available.

Meanwhile, I'm keeping an eye out for clever ways artists are posting art AND including a quick, easy way to donate or pledge for this work. Because it is work. A lot of work. And no one can afford to work for free.

Artist "Ryoko" of I Love Coffee includes a donation button with her blog posts:
http://en.ilovecoffee.jp/posts/view/186 Just click for a quick and easy link to PayPal! Brilliant!

Intellectual Property Legal Firm "Counsel for Creators" has a web page "work for fame" with link for a download of a contract artists can use for "work for exposure" arrangements that defines the exposure and the compensation expectations. It's tongue-in-cheek, but also an effective tool. http://workforfame.instapage.com/

More on online art theft and copyright issues for indie artists: http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2016/09/combat-art-theft-case-studies-and.html

Artists need to make themselves a priority. They can't create if they are sick and broke.

Few artists can make their living entirely through their creative efforts. That means they are doing a job... and making art. Why make it harder for them???

If you love on-line art and artists.... support them. We're all in this together...

Always Alan Rickman

RIP Alan Rickman ....

via Facebook, remembrance below by Potter actress Evanna Lynch ... a tribute to a great soul...

I don't have many stories to share about Alan Rickman because, truthfully, I was terrified of him as Snape and throughout the course of the films I always gave him a wide berth. But I wanted to share the brief but significant encounters I had with him. He was probably the only cast member who met my fangirl expectations because everybody else broke character to be nice to me and make me feel welcome to the Potter family, and also to be themselves, while he remained impassively, Snape. So I assumed he WAS Snape and made myself small whenever he went gliding past in those big, shadowy black robes. Among the only people who didn't keep their distance were the throngs of children he used to bring to lunch in the canteen. It was odd that any of the adult actors would lunch in the canteen, but odder still that Snape would, surrounded by a group of giddy little girls and boys. I was told that they were his friends' children and that NO, I would not be allowed to bring that many guests, and nor would anyone but that nobody fancied the task of telling Alan he shouldn't invite his friends' eager young children to the studio on a weekly basis. Thus we all enjoyed the bizarre sight of Snape in his all-black, bat-like glory sitting head and shoulders above a gang of unnaturally unfazed children. For me, these glimpses of Snape chatting quite amiably to young people was the only hint that there was an Alan in there too and that he was in fact very, very nice.

It wasn't until a few years later that I had the chance to meet Alan as himself. It was at a charity dinner and our nameplates were next to each other. I started to panic quietly and I even asked another guest would he like to take my seat! But an organiser insisted we sit at our assigned seats and I steeled myself for the most awkward dinner conversation of my life!! I sat down and much to my shock he greeted me warmly and by name. My real name! That put me at ease and after that I was quite happy for him to feign intense interest in his dinner plate rather than make casual chit-chat with me. But he did keep talking to me, asked lots of questions and seemed genuinely interested in my interests and projects. The conversation got round to acting quickly and at the time I was stressing about the pressure I felt to already be a successful actress and that I'd run out of time to make mistakes. I was aware I was talking about myself so I kept trying to shift the conversation back to him but he just wanted to help. He told me he hadn't known what he'd wanted to be out of school, that he'd gone to art school first to be a graphic artist and had come to acting a few years later when he applied for drama school. As an actress, already having to lie about my age at 24, it seems mad that Alan only found his vocation and began his acting journey at 26 and turned out to be…Alan Rickman. But when I told him that I was worried if I didn't figure myself out quickly I would miss the most important opportunities and never get them back, he simply told me that I was focusing on the wrong thing. He said not to worry about getting 'there' and instead to focus on feeding my soul and following my heart from place to place. And then he gave me the loveliest acting advice I've ever gotten. 'People think that they're watching this' he said waving his hand in front of his face, 'but really they're watching this' and he pounded his fist on his heart centre. After dinner, I thanked him for the advice though for some reason he rejected the notion that he'd given me any advice (I don't know why) but whatever it was, it truly stuck with me and it made me start living differently, being more in tune with my heart, listening and following its rhythms and wishes and surrendering the need to control my life.

After that meeting I thought about him a lot and what a truly lovely, kind, generous person he was. For someone as established, wise and revered as he, the greatest gift you can give someone is your full attention and presence in the moment. Most people of his measure of talent and intellect are extremely busy and are anxious for you to know this. You start to talk to them and their eyes are already darting to the other corners of the room, their fingers reaching for their phone where a million more interesting people are pinging away at their inbox. They can't afford to spend their precious time and entire mental facilities just on you, so mostly they just give you a bit, just for a few minutes. But Alan Rickman was not that at all. In the hour I sat with him, he managed to be completely present, kind, attentive and curious about someone who did not expect or look for that from him. It says a lot about him, how nice a person he was and what discipline it must have taken to stay in character so much. It must have been hard to play Snape and to have to alienate himself from everyone. It must have been hard to have to stop smiling at people. And uncomfortable to make others so uncomfortable. There aren't that many actors that would go to such lengths for the integrity of their character. There were deep and heart-breaking reasons why Snape didn't smile, why he is such a loner and the most stubbornly emo adult ever. I so appreciate the fact that he cared that much about his character, that he didn't dismiss Harry Potter as a 'kids film', a handy job and a sizeable paycheck. He loved and honoured Snape the way all beloved characters deserve and he made the Harry Potter world that much more real for us.

I can't quite believe he's not here anymore. I somehow still think actors are immortal like the characters they play but then they leave us. Please honour his memory and what he gave us by talking about and sharing stories and continuing to celebrate his legacy so then he will be here, as we like to say, 'Always'.

fan art by Megan Lara:

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re-posting my "A is for Alan Rickman" post from January 2012...

From "Sense and Sensibility" to Severus Snape.... my heart belongs to Alan Rickman!



What a way to start the new year... check out this interview with Alan Rickman from the LA Times "Hero Complex" blog

http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/12/30/harry-potter-alan-rickman-looks-back-on-decade-of-dark-magic/#/10

"Always.....always...."

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new pics added for this post

Copyright, artists and so many updates

Back on July 14, 2014, I wrote a blog post on Copyright Info for Artists.

I wrote that post to create a renewable place to gather all the resources and case studies that were popping up on my radar. Indie artists have to juggle many roles ...(image below by Alina Chau http://alinachau.com/)

Why are they always getting burned.....often just for posting images to promote their work. Isn't there value in "exposure?" ... more on that in a bit...

The reaction of artists to stories of unauthorized use of images can be summed up by this chart by Adam Ellis:

As we reach a milestone number of total page views for the blog.... it's interesting to note that the "Copyright Info" post is one of the most frequently updated.. and frequently visited.. posts on the blog.

Artists are interested in the topic of protecting images posted on the internet. There are way too many examples of theft of images ... often with uncompensated commercial use of these stolen works.

Where are the solutions?

Social Media sites .. including this blog..  thrive on the free and easy sharing of images. Where is the appropriate credit for the artists who create these images?

Are Indie Artists aware of options like the Creative Commons Licenses?  (btw ... Creative Commons is a Massachusetts-chartered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable corporation)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/

From the Creative Commons website: Founded in 2001 with the generous support of the Center for the Public Domain, CC is led by a Board of Directors comprised of thought leaders, education experts, technologists, legal scholars, investors, entrepreneurs and philanthropists.
Website for Center for the Public Domain:
http://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/

While options like these are a step in the right direction.. too often they rely on the user to track down and credit or notify the creator.

Why can't individual images that are frequently shared be protected by a blanket license agreement that allows use and sharing on the platform.. but simultaneously credits and compensates the artist?

These are complicated situations ... but now is the time for artists to start writing the rules about the use of their images. There's so much money being made already -- but NOT by the artists!! We need to reject the myth that "exposure" is compensation. (blog "loud and creative" by artist Gregor Louden has a great post on this.. http://www.gregorlouden.com/blog/creatives-forget-about-getting-paid-its-time-to-work-for-free/ )

Art. Is. Not. Free. (chart below from Franchesco.com)

My next post on copyright will follow in a few weeks... meanwhile, here's a recent copyright item..

Inside the Sunday Jan 10 Los Angeles Times:  a review by Michael Schaub  for the book "The Idealist" by Justin Peters.
http://www.latimes.com/books/la-ca-jc-0110-aaron-swartz-bio-20160110-story.html

This quote in the review got my attention.
" ...Peters' history of copyright law is endlessly interesting — he's fluent in both English and lawyer-speak, and he does a great job explaining sometimes arcane legislation ..."
I'll be reading this book.. not so much for the story of Aaron Swartz... but for the author's views on the wild west of copyright law.

For now... I'm including the complete "Copyright Info for Artists" post here so it's handy. A current link for this post.. and other posts of note... can always be found on the YOUR GUIDE TO STUART NG BOOKS post on the blog every month.
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Here's the original post w/ updates through Jan 6, 2016

There are various places on the internet where artists are sharing (horror) stories about images they posted that are stolen and used for unauthorized commercial purposes.

I'm posting here some links I've found to these sources. There are lots of benefits to the internet .. but the rules are also being made up as we all go along. Hopefully, artists can continue to be proactive about revealing these rip-offs and work together to make the rules ... before someone else imposes rules on the artists.

Here's a great Jan 2014 article by Sam Levin in the East Bay Express that lists the names of artists who fought back and the lawyers who took on these cases: “When Corporations Want Profits, They Don’t Ask for Permission”

http://m.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/when-corporations-want-profits-they-dont-ask-for-permission/Content?oid=3804611

Here's a facebook page “Designers and Illustrators Against Plagiarism”  that posts examples of rip-offs:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Designers-and-Illustrators-Against-Plagiarism/190313407647321

Here'a s blog called "You Thought We Wouldn't Notice" with commentary by a Los Angeles-based attorney
Current posts: http://www.youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com/
http://youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com/blog3/legal-protection-for-art-in-the-united-states/

Here's a website for "Copyright Collaborative" an artists collective founded by Emily Danchuk, a lawyer in Maine: http://www.copyrightcollaborative.com/

I'm always looking for feedback on these sources ... or other sources artists are using.
(image used is stock image from Dreamstime) http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-lay-figure-sitting-copyright-symbol-image7137207

UPDATE -- JULY 29, 2014, after San Diego Comic Con
At the con, I met Dave from EFF.org (Electronic Frontier Foundation) who told me about New Media Rights, a non-profit assisting artists with intellectual property issues.

Here's info from the "about us" page of the New Media Rights website:
New Media Rights is a non-profit, independently funded program of California Western School of Lawthat provides legal services, education, and public policy advocacy for Internet users and creators.

And here's link to their website: http://newmediarights.org/

UPDATE SEPT 16, 2014 
Recent conversation with two artist friends clued me into another image theft issue --- portfolios were people are stealing online images and trying to pass these stolen items as their own art! Seems to be fairly common issue -- more than one artist has reviewed a portfolio where THEIR OWN ART appeared attributed to the thief! Looking for some links on this .. but meanwhile, a general search for "Art portfolio stolen art" brought up a very illuminating list of links ... here are some samples...

How to protect your art tips from 'Empty Easel" website (LEAVING LINK UP, BUT NOT WORKING JAN 3, 2016)
http://emptyeasel.com/2011/02/18/how-to-protect-images-of-your-artwork-from-being-stolen-online/

"What to do if someone steals your design"
http://designshack.net/articles/inspiration/what-to-do-if-someone-steals-your-design/

"How to check if your art is copied/stolen online using Google Image Search"
http://www.artpromotivate.com/2011/12/art-copied-stolen-google-image-search.html

UPDATE SEPT 24, 2014
Here's an important link with a nifty, detailed FLOW CHART on Image Use Rights from a blog called "You the Designer" http://www.youthedesigner.com/graphic-design-resources/image-usage-rights/

UPDATE OCT 11, 2014 
Blog post "Ultimate Guide to Finding and Using Images" explains why " It’s important to understand how to obtain images and properly use them because you can’t just grab any image from the Internet and place it on your blog. You could run into legal issues and intellectual property infringement, so it’s important to understand exactly what you can and cannot do." http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-find-images-blog-guide/?fb_action_ids=881537635192034&fb_action_types=og.likes

UPDATE OCT 22, 2014
link to gift industry panel discussion on impact of knock-off items:
http://www.giftsanddec.com/article/491105-industry-responds-knock-offs?nid=2069

Here's just a sample from this panel:
A victim of IP theft, Emily Martin, founder and designer of Orange Beautiful, a Chicago-based stationery company told Gifts and Decorative Accessories that she’s seen her artwork used by various individuals at parties and elsewhere on the Internet, but she didn't realize the real impact knock-offs could have until she saw one of her designs on a television competition. A contestant on the TLC network series Four Weddings had allegedly featured one of Martin's original designs for Orange Beautiful on her wedding cake, invitations and even a carved cheese. The network later ran the episode, and the winning design was the one allegedly ripped off from Orange Beautiful. Martin has tracked down the individuals who were featured on the show and has started to take legal action with a cease and desist letter.

also link for International Chamber of Commerce
http://www.iccwbo.org/

UPDATE NOV 4, 2014

In Oct 2014, photographer Daniel Foster wrote a blog post about his experience when one of his images was stolen and used on items sold on Etsy.

This is his blog post about the incident and his follow-up with Etsy legal dept ..
http://petapixel.com/2014/10/03/etsy-new-silk-road-copyright-infringement/#more-147151

The DCMA referenced in Foster's post is the "Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998" .. here is link to the PDF of the US Copyright Office Summary ...http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf

And this is the link for Etsy's Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy
https://www.etsy.com/help/article/482

UPDATE NOV 10, 2014
Not exactly unauthorized use of images resources..... but here's a link to a list of 15 rules for creative success in the internet age http://boingboing.net/2014/11/04/molly-crabapples-rules-for-c.html

UPDATE NOV 27, 2014

Buzzfeed post promoting this company that will take your doodle (mostly art by kids) and turn it into a charming plush toy...http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelzarrell/this-toy-company-will-turn-your-kids-doodles-into-an-awesome

so sweet .. EXCEPT ... the image above was STOLEN...The orignal art (below) ... and story about the theft ... on Sprinklexeater page on Diviantart http://sprinklexeater.deviantart.com/art/FAT-UNICORN-117301507

once again .. the artist knows about the theft ... but the image still being promoted via unauthorized use.

UPDATE MARCH 5, 2015  -- PRIMER ON TRADEMARK...

 This is link to a super informative blog post titled "Isn't the Internet Big Enough for More Than One Angry Asian" written by blogger Jenn from her blog "Reappropriate.com"

http://reappropriate.co/?p=7911

In this blog post, she presents two sides of an interesting case of conflict about trademark issues between two bloggers: "Angry Asian Man " and "Angry Little Asian Girl"

UPDATE MAY 22, 2015 -- STORY ON "Artist" RICHARD PRINCE GALLERY SHOW OF STOLEN IMAGES

Website "Gothamist" posted this article about so-called "Artist" Richard Prince who steals images off the internet, blows them up, puts them in a show and sells them... without credit or compensation to sources of his "work"

http://gothamist.com/2015/05/21/artist_steals_instagram_photos_sell.php

UPDATE MAY 30, 2015
This link to my blog post on this "Instagram Photos Story" includes several links on this controversy... as well as background on the previous lawsuit involving this artist: http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2015/05/get-inspired-artists-rights-references.html


UPDATE JUNE 8, 2015

SUNFROG shirts (dot) com has reputation for uncredited use of internet images...

Warning post from Artist Jillian about this group...

"I know that I have posted on fb about Sunfrog before---but please dont' buy clothing from these guys. They just snap images off of the internet and drop them onto their shirts and sell them without giving profit to the actual artists or even their permission. Recently they stole Art Corgi's logo and was selling it on a shirt---now they are using other artist's work"

HOLY COW -- Sunfrog even has their own "copyright and intellectual property policy" page, where they explain how they "ooops" may be using stolen art...Here's link to their policy page:

SunFrog Shirts respects the intellectual property rights of others, and we expect our users to do the same. We do not have an opportunity to prescreen every design that is submitted to our site for sale, so occasionally, user may inadvertently or deliberately submit and display content that breaches the SunFrog Shirts Terms & Conditions for art submissions.

We have adopted the following general policy toward copyright and intellectual property infringement in accordance with U.S. intellectual property laws, including the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. Notice & Takedown Requests should be sent to our designated agent to receive notification of claimed infringement at the address

Nothing there about getting artist any compensation for shirts/images sold in the meantime...

Here's link to their policy page: http://www.sunfrogshirts.com/copyright/

UPDATE JUNE 28, 2015

LA Times story on how music copyright protected on You Tube

Los Angeles Times op-ed story by Stephen Witt is excellent primer on how profits are made from background music in uploaded videos. You Tube uses its automatic copyright detection service to flag  videos and notify music copyright holders... launching option for revenue stream via ads that benefits publishing companies Google (owner of You Tube) and musician .. but not the folks who upload the video.
My question is ....  Why can't there be something like this for artists??? Perhaps a code or symbol to imbed when uploading an original image???
Read the op-ed piece here.http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0628-witt-youtube-copyright-20150628-story.html

UPDATE JUNE 29, 2015

Great business tips for artists
Link here is for "Maria Brophy Art Business Consultant" website. This post showed up on my Facebook freed via an artist .. and there are some great tips here how to respond to requests for free art for charity event, etc. Always remember your VALUE before you give away anything. You have to make a living. Help your art help you make that possible.... http://mariabrophy.com/business-of-art/how-to-turn-a-charity-request-for-free-art-into-a-paid-sale.html


UPDATE JULY 4, 2015

Lawyers who take image theft cases Law firms are starting to take more cases to protect artists from image theft. Here's a May 2015 profile in LA Weekly on a firm in Los Angeles: http://www.laweekly.com/news/if-corporate-america-steals-your-creative-work-these-hipster-lawyers-stop-them-5589472  For Artists who worry that they can't afford legal help ... Here's an excerpt ...

Burroughs and Doniger have represented artists, designers, photographers, writers and other creatives in more than 1,000 cases in the last decade.

They have an approach to copyright cases that makes them somewhat unusual: They often work on contingency, meaning they don't get paid unless the client wins — commonly in a settlement — which allows artists and entrepreneurs to pursue legal action they otherwise couldn't afford. Burroughs says copyright infringement cases can be drawn out, and when they go all the way through trial can cost up to $3 million.

UPDATE JULY 12, 2015

Online art theft via website "WallPart" website

This link has been making the rounds among artists... it's an effort to shunt down the page called "WallPart.com". The WallPart website posts images from artists and claims ... CLAIMS .. to re-direct orders for these items back to the artists. It's a lie... artist have found their art there being sold on the site WITHOUT their permission ... and that's why the same artists are fighting back. Here's the link for the Petition to take down the site...https://www.change.org/p/remove-wallpart-com-stealing-people-s-work-without-persmission

UPDATE JULY 16, 2015

USE CAUTION if you visit the "WallPart" website directly. There are reports in the artist community that there may be a computer virus active on the official WallPart website address. There is also chatter that the website may be using art orders to collect emails and personal information. I have not gone to the website myself so these warnings are only anecdotal .. but it comes from messages circulating among artists warning each other about this site -- better safe than sorry. (the change.org petition address is fine)

UPDATE JULY 20, 2015

Entire post with lots of links and resources on Next Great Copyright Act...

http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2015/07/next-great-copyright-act-letter.html

This was follow-up to first post here on July 17....

Here is the update from JULY 17, 2015 

Next Great Copyright Act (NGCA)--

This alert showed up on my radar via an artists group I follow...Posting excerpts here for the record...

Artists Alert: From the Illustrators Partnership  The Return of Orphan Works Part 1: "The Next Great Copyright Act"  JULY 1, 2015

For more than a year Congress has been holding hearings for the drafting of a brand new US Copyright Act. At its heart is the return of Orphan Works.  Twice, Orphan Works Acts have failed to pass Congress because of strong opposition from visual artists, spearheaded by the Illustrators Partnership. Because of this, the Copyright Office has now issued a special call for letters regarding the role of visual art in the coming legislation.

Included bullet points for NGCA

Here are the Basic Facts "The Next Great Copyright Act" would replace all existing copyright law. It would void our Constitutional right to the exclusive control of our work. It would "privilege" the public's right to use our work. It would "pressure" you to register your work with commercial registries. It would "orphan" unregistered work.  It would make orphaned work available for commercial infringement by "good faith" infringers. It would allow others to alter your work and copyright these "derivative works" in their own names.  It would affect all visual art: drawings, paintings, sketches, photos, etc.; past, present and future; published and unpublished; domestic and foreign.

This alert also urged artists to comply with Copyright Office request for letters. Deadline to submit letters is July 23, 2015. More info .. including link to submit on-line letter.. here: http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Artists-Alert--The-Return-of-Orphan-Works-Part-1.html?soid=1102063090742&aid=3vozerBiCPE

UPDATE JULY 30, 2015

Article from Los Angeles Times on the copyright case for "Happy Birthday" .. a simple song with a complex copyright history...http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-birthday-song-20150730-story.html#page=1

UPDATE AUGUST 6, 2015

"This Website Will Steal Your Photos, Then Hack Your Computer" By Patrick Hall

https://fstoppers.com/news/website-will-steal-your-photos-and-then-hack-your-computer-77511

Link for more on the Wallpart theft of internet images website. This post is from FStoppers .. a site for photographers. This post shows how Wallpart exists not to sell prints.. but as bait to lure in photographers and artists and get their personal information.

UPDATE SEPT 9, 2015

An internet image good news story...via this image by artist Jeff Victor.....

This quote from Jeff Victor artist arrived on my radar today .. "MY MIND IS BLOWN. Robert Downey Jr himself actually shared my evolution of his work. This is just...holy (###)...I can't even brain right now."

Jeff had posted this image on his blog... and via the ways of the internet.. it came to the attention of Robert Downey Jr.  and it arrived 9.9.15 on Downey's own Facebook page (with 25 million followers)....https://www.facebook.com/robertdowneyjr

The internet isn't just a platform for art theft. It can also connect artists with credit... recognition ... support .. and appreciation. Not to mention a fun fan boy moment .. in person and by proxy.

The post on Downey's FB was brief.. and sadly didn't mention the artist in the text... HOWEVER -- and IMPORTANT NOTE TO ARTISTS HERE!!!! ... Jeff's blog address is featured on the image... making it EASY to credit.. and FIND.. the artist. Help your art .. help make your name! (to 25 million people one day.. it can happen)

Congrats Jeff! See more of his art .. and his nice write up about this image.. on his blog "Wicked Crispy" http://www.jeffvictor.blogspot.com/

UPDATE SEPT 29, 2015

Flurry of online posting of this You Tube clip .... it's an interview with "artist Lee O'Hanlon"..

Social media shining a spotlight on this egregious case of art theft. The real artist behind the works is Brandon Dicks... This lowlife Lee just downloads the art of Brandon Dicks and slaps his own name on it. The jerk even did a book! Comments on this you tube clip rip the mask off this rip off ... Use this link not so much to hear the useless interview.. but to read the parade of scathing comments and defense of fellow creative rights...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX9XtwipHzY

UPDATE OCT 24, 2015

"Creator's Legal Program"

I've just learned about a new legal service for indie artists/creators. It's a monthly-fee membership called 'Creators' Legal Program." that gives artists access to legal counsel that specializes in copyright and creative issues. The service is provided by a Counsel for Creators, a law firm based in Southern California. I know one artist who has been using the service for about a month and has been really happy with it. I'm going to try to learn more about this service and will update here on this post...http://clp.counselforcreators.com/

UPDATE DEC 14, 2015
This chart arrived on my internet radar. So impressed with the clarity of info and format.. I contacted creator Ginger Davis Allman and got her permission to cross post on my blog.

Here's link to her in depth article with  more details on the chart topics: http://thebluebottletree.com/copyright-guidelines-polymer-clay-artists/

Here's link to my post sharing the chart: http://stuartngbooks.blogspot.com/2015/12/copyright-guidelines-chart-by-ginger.html

UPDATE DEC 29, 2015

"A Closer Look at the New Amazon Handmade Section"
http://www.creationsfromthehart.com/amazon-review/
Article by crafter Marnie on her "Marnie's Creations" website http://www.creationsfromthehart.com/
.... she posted it in Oct 2015, but it's popped up again via social media, so am sharing here as a Dec update.

This quote from Marnie's article, with language from the Amazon website, is chilling....
You know what actually got me to immediately delete all of my products? It was this, copied from the Amazon website. License: You grant us a royalty-free, non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use, reproduce, perform, display, distribute, adapt, modify, re-format, create derivative works of, and otherwise commercially or non-commercially exploit in any manner, any and all of Your Materials, and to sublicense the foregoing rights to our Affiliates and operators of Amazon Associated Properties. Now if you’re thinking of selling your handmade items I want you to read that again and when you’re done, a third time. I did. I read it multiple times mainly because I could not believe that they are so blatant about it. Yes, we have the right to exploit you. You give us this right. This right is irrevocable. Well crap. I had 50 something products listed. I did a batch delete immediately after reading this. It might not even matter because they were there and Amazon now owns those product pictures and designs. Fortunately in the few hours it was up nothing sold so perhaps Amazon won’t have any interest at all in my designs.

Read the entire article for more...

DEC 31, 2015

"The Devaluation of Music: It's Worse Than You Think" by Craig Havighurst for Cuepoint
https://medium.com/cuepoint/the-devaluation-of-music-it-s-worse-than-you-think-f4cf5f26a888#.ukieyl8o6
This article is on music... but many of the points here apply to visual art as well...

JAN 6, 2016
Article "How 3DPrinting Threatens our Patent System" by Timothy Holbrook in Scientific American
 http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-3d-printing-threatens-our-patent-system/ Like the music business model, where streaming flatforms took off before the industry could catch up, the new technolog of 3D printing, and the increasing access along with decreasing costs, could impact patent law:
"Each printed copy of an invention is a lost potential sale to the patent holder. But, to sue for infringement, the patent owner would need to be aware that someone is using a 3D printer to make the patented invention. And that’s a very tall order since these printers are widely dispersed across households and businesses."

Get Inspired, the art of Alejandro Mogollo, Kendra Bean, and the coffee mug collection

Art helps us see familiar things a new way....Sometimes things you're interested in seem unrelated.. until you realize the connections are there.. 

Two things I really love:

Coffee

Vivien Leigh

Here's how I ended up with all these coffee mugs.... art by Alejandro Mogollo

Here is link for the mugs: 

http://www.redbubble.com/people/alemogolloart/shop/mugs?ref=artist_shop_product_refinement

More of Alejandro's art on Pintrest:

 https://www.pinterest.com/alejandromogoll/screen-tests-by-alejandro-mogollo/

and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlejandroMogolloArt/

It started with this photo of author Kendra Bean..

and this post from Kendra....
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A couple days ago I posted a link to an interview Tanguy did with graphic artist Alejandro Mogollo Art.Just wanted to let you guys know that I ordered a tea mug from his online shop and I LOVE it! Such a nice design and fast shipping, too! If you're looking for Christmas gift ideas for GWTW or Vivien Leigh fans, check this out:http://www.redbubble.com/people/alemogolloart/shop
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Of course, I clicked on the link.. and once I saw all the mugs, I went a little crazy. More on that in a minute..
I first learned about this artist in an interview 'Drawing Vivien Leigh" It's a terrific read, where artist Alejandro discusses his background, how he discovered GWTW and Leigh.. and the challenges in capturing her unique beauty:

http://vivandlarry.com/vivien-leigh/drawing-vivien-leigh/

This appeared on a blog I follow. http://vivandlarry.com/

The blog is written by Kendra Bean, an extraordinary and generous young scholar. Photo below shows Kendra with the famous blue dress portrait of Scarlett from GWTW.. this portrait is now part of the collection at the Margaret Mitchell House museum in Atlanta, GA http://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/explorer/making-film-legend-gone-wind-exhibition

Kendra is one of the leading authorities today on one of my all-time icons, actress Vivien Leigh...

Kendra's book "Vivien Leigh: an Intimate Portrait"

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17290767-vivien-leigh
is a great example of her scholarship.. and chock full of photos!

I have LOTS of coffee mugs. Why so many?? I'm inspired by images, but I ran out of wall space for prints and pictures eons ago. Coffee mugs are something I use every day.. and the images on them are a way to bring the sparkle of a special image or artist to my work space.

I don't just grab any mug in the morning. I choose with care. Something about the image speaks to my journey that day... the image there sets the tone.. or evokes a feeling.. or reminds me of the place or person that brought the mug into my collection.

Do I think too much about coffee?? Maybe... but being mindful about something routine and simple also makes me want to be mindful about other things that I need to be thinking about.

It all takes PRACTICE.. sad, but true. But that's how we get better. Keep trying.

Or at least have a cup of coffee and reflect on things...

Here are other mugs with art I enjoy...
(yes, I get a lot of them from Society of 6 . but I wait for the sales and/or "no shipping charge" specials :)
art by Anna-Maria Jung http://www.annamariajung.com/
link for mugs: https://society6.com/jungcomics

Corgi mug by Lili Chin, Doggie Drawings: https://society6.com/lilichin
Doggie Drawings website: http://www.doggiedrawings.net/

"Amazing Sherlock" mug by Sunli Chen https://society6.com/sunlichen

 Marty Mouse photo mugs by Sarah Hunt, Marty Mouse House http://www.martymousehouse.com/
Illustrated Marty Mug "Travel Adventures" by artist Nadya Bonten-Slenders, Nadyart Illustrations https://society6.com/nadyart/mugs
more on artist Nadya featured on Bored Panda http://www.boredpanda.com/cute-rat-illustrations-nadya-bonten-slenders/
and here http://www.itsmypart.com/11-cutest-illustrations-that-will-make-you-say-aww/

Marty in business attire
 http://www.zazzle.com/internashunal_bizness_marty_mouse_ceo_mug-168791102472824845
art by Steph Laberis https://www.facebook.com/stephlaberisart/
Martin "Marty" Mouse House photos by Sarah Hunt has a following of over 20,000 on Facebook. Her pics featured on Buzzfeed, Hello Giggles, Bored Panda and more. Also on Instgram. Full info on Marty Mouse website: http://www.martymousehouse.com/
I'm also a longtime fan of  (coffee loving) Hallmark characters Hoops and Yoyo.  http://explore.hallmark.com/hoopsandyoyo/?searchkey=hoops%20and%20yoyo

 Scarlett mug.. art from GTWT and Squirrel Town mug .. both gifts..

 Various versions of these mugs over the years from Island Heritage in Hawaii, featuring the "hula Honeys" design....http://www.welcometotheislands.com/s?defaultSearchTextValue=Search&searchKeywords=hula+honey&Action=submit
Here are 2 favorites...

These two mugs are similar..

but not exactly the same.....

All the little details in the on these mugs are playful and full of Aloha spirit!

"Typo" is a chain of stationary stores, based in Australia. There are only FOUR Typo brick and mortar stores in the US. One of them is located at Del Amo Mall in Torrance .. only a few miles from Stuart Ng Books store...http://www.yelp.com/biz/typo-torrance

 So many fun and witty science and coffee themed items!!! But their inventory turns over so fast. If you see something you like... Grab it!

Coffee .. it's more than a beverage... it's a way to share art!